A-listers Cha Seung-won, Kim Hee-ae and Kim Seon-ho lead the feel-good countryside variety series centered on senior residents, regional desserts
Kim Seon-ho in “Bonjour Bakery” (Coupang Play)
In a new Coupang Play series, actors open a dessert cafe in the countryside to offer older residents comfort and companionship.
On paper, such a healing viewing experience is almost impossible to criticize. But once menu prices come into focus, “Bonjour Bakery” becomes a more complicated watch.
The eight-episode original series, released weekly on Fridays, follows Cha Seung-won, Kim Hee-ae, Kim Seon-ho and Lee Ki-taek as they operate Bonjour Bakery in Gochang, North Jeolla Province.
The cast alone adds a touch of prestige. Kim Hee-ae, the award-winning actor behind “The World of the Married,” returns to variety television as a fixed cast member for the first time in more than a decade following “Sisters Over Flowers.” Kim Seon-ho, fresh off Netflix’s “Can This Love Be Translated?” makes his first major variety return since “2 Days & 1 Night,” while Cha Seung-won, whose recent credits include the tentpoles “Uprising” and “The Tyrant,” once again steps into a culinary role after the success of healing variety staple “Three Meals a Day.” Lee Ki-taek, a rising rookie, meanwhile, makes what is effectively his variety debut.
Kim Hee-ae in “Bonjour Bakery” (Coupang Play)
The series premiered May 8, coinciding with Korea’s Parents’ Day, and was inspired by the show’s writer Kim Ran-joo’s memories of spending time with her late father after realizing most of their moments together had taken place in hospital cafeterias.
“I thought it would be nice to have a space where people like me, who didn’t get to spend enough time with their parents, could come comfortably with them,” said Kim, during a press conference on May 6.
Kim Hee-ae (left) attends to customers in “Bonjour Bakery” (Coupang Play)
“Bonjour Bakery” is not built around high-energy games or dopamine-inducing editing. Instead, it leans into a slow, almost meditative rhythm as the four actors brew coffee, prepare pastries and invite residents into the quiet cafe for a treat.
The camera lingers on the details: the dough-making process, the preparation of the creme brulee filling, Kim Seon-ho tamping espresso grounds. Combined with the show’s muted colors and soft cinematography, it’s clear the series aims to curate a soothing atmosphere.
The cafe exclusively welcomes guests aged 65 and older, and much of the show’s emotional pull comes from watching these older residents cautiously explore a new social space. Seeing them wander through the newly opened cafe, sample unfamiliar desserts and spend time together in an otherwise quiet countryside setting gives the series its emotional center.
Lee Ki-taek (left) and Cha Seung-won star in “Bonjour Bakery.” (Coupang Play)
But one aspect of the show breaks that immersion: the prices.
Bonjour Bakery sells desserts inspired by regional specialties, including a green barley field tart, modeled after Gochang’s famed barley fields, and sweet potato cakes inspired by another of the region’s signature products. But a single, palm-sized green barley field tart costs 10,000 won ($7), a price tag considered expensive even by Seoul cafe standards — let alone senior customers in a countryside town.
This commercialization becomes harder to ignore when navigating the Coupang Play platform, which features a dedicated section where viewers can purchase desserts featured on the show through Coupang’s Rocket Fresh delivery service. Though this extends the viewing experience beyond the screen, the pricing remains steep, with a single green barley field tart listed for 13,800 won online.
As a viewing experience, “Bonjour Bakery” succeeds as gentle, restorative television and its central premise feels sincere. But the aggressive merchandising tied to the series occasionally undercuts that sincerity, raising questions about whether the show’s commercial ambitions fully align with its stated goal of providing senior residents with solace and companionship.
yoonseo.3348@heraldcorp.com